Ravel Morrison Charged with Assault: Latest Details, Comment and More

Ravel Morrison has had an extra charge of harassment entered against him after a court was told of a four-year campaign against his former girlfriend.

Morrison pleads not guilty to charges of common assault and harassment, but is facing serious accusations, as reported by the Telegraph:

Premier League footballer Ravel Morrison threatened to throw acid in the face of his ex-girlfriend and have her killed, a court has heard.

The former Manchester United midfielder is also accused of threatening to blow up her house during a campaign of harassment against his ex-girlfriend Reah Mansoor that allegedly lasted four years.

Updates from Monday, Aug. 4

Sky Sports provides the latest on Ravel Morrison, who is set for an appearance at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday:

Updates from Thursday, July 31

John Scheerhout, crime reporter for Manchester Evening News, provides the latest on Ravel Morrison, who appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with two counts of assault:

Mike Keegan of the BBC added:

Original Text

West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison has been charged with two counts of assault, according to Dan Roan of BBC Sport:

Via its Twitter feed and official website, Greater Manchester Police also confirmed an incident in which two women were allegedly assaulted:

Bleacher Report UK tweeted the statement in which Morrison is named:

The 21-year-old, who joined West Ham from Manchester United in January 2012, has recently fulfilled loan spells with Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers after Hammers boss Sam Allardyce remained "unconvinced by the attitude" of the talented player, per Mark Bryans of the Daily Mail.

Sang Tan/Associated Press

Although regarded as one of English football's most promising youngsters, a career of regrettable incidents has already seen Morrison's Red Devils dream cut short, forcing him into working his way through the ranks at West Ham.

Mike Phelan, former Manchester United assistant manager, claimed the club was right to let Morrison leave, despite his considerable potential. "He needed to get out of Manchester," Phelan told BBC Radio 5 Live, per ESPN FC. "It is easy to say we let our most promising player leave, but is it worth the hassle to wait and maybe not see fruition to it?"

Despite a plethora of off-field problems, Morrison's ability is held in high regard. In an interview with BT Sport, per Richard Jolly of ESPN FC, Rio Ferdinand praised Morrison's fearless attitude when challenging far more experienced players:

I would pay to watch him train let alone play in a match. Ever since the first day I saw him, my old boss (Sir Alex Ferguson) said: 'Have a look at this boy.' He was taking the mick out of everyone on the pitch when he was about 14. The manager thought he was the best player he had seen at that age.

Morrison never managed to break into the Old Trafford first team but impressed during a brief spell in West Ham's lineup last season. He scored three goals and provided two assists in 16 appearances, including a terrific solo strike during the 3-0 win against Tottenham, per WhoScored.com.

Tipped by some to make England's World Cup squad at the height of his 2013-14 form, Morrison's skill once again grabbed the headlines when he netted a sumptuous volley during training with the Three Lions' under-21 side. He dropped down to QPR shortly after, a move Daniel Taylor of TheGuardian called a "tremendous waste."

Allardyce recently noted Morrison "drifted away" during his ascension to the first team, per Nick Rostron-Pike of talkSPORT. The manager insisted Morrison has a future at the club "if he gets back to knuckling down, and getting used to the discipline side of the game," a decision which appeared to stem from board pressure, per the Mirror's Ben Burrows.

Considering Allardyce gave his interview on Wednesday, it is now unclear whether the intention to take Morrison back still stands.

The player's quality is well-documented, but he threatens to post an unfulfilling career if the reported mishaps continue. His latest charge intensifies the spotlight once more, potentially creating a blot against his name which simply won't be erased via the odd moment of terrific play.

Despite appearing to improve his work-rate and attitude across the past couple of years, Morrison's long-term future is once again called in doubt by his alleged unprofessional behaviour. He is a talented boy, someone who can significantly improve his club and country's prospects throughout the future, but only if the reported trouble stops.